


Tend the Flame

by anaklusmoswrites



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Haikyuu Secret Santa, M/M, Team Dynamics, first year Akashi, platonic BokuAka, second year bokuto
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-06
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-07-25 19:46:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16204415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anaklusmoswrites/pseuds/anaklusmoswrites
Summary: Bokuto was the flame, and Akashi only did his best to tend the flame, so that he could maximize its warmth.





	Tend the Flame

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mintc](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mintc/gifts).



> This fic is set during the summer training camp from the previous year, which happens after the Inter-High but before the Spring Tournament. 
> 
> So, Bokuto is in his second year and Akashi is in his first.
> 
> This is my very first fic and I wrote this as a gift for u/mintcy as a part of r/haikyuu Digital Secret Santa gift exchange.  
> Thank you so, so much for giving this a read.  
> [ tumblr ](www.jinaxisotaku.tumblr.com)

That’s it. Bokuto was undoubtedly and absolutely done.

 

He had seen the rooster-headed bastard before during last year’s training camp, but he never really paid any attention to Nekoma because they were always losing.

 

But the image of that hair definitely stuck around. Something about it invoked an odd feeling in him, something he couldn’t place. As someone with uniquely styled hair himself, he would remember anyone else who had distinctive hairstyles. Sadly though, his mouth took away all the favours his hair did for him.

 

Akashi sighed internally. Bokuto was losing his temper again, and it was once again while they were playing against Nekoma. The Nekoma captain was making it his personal mission to rile up Bokuto-san at every opportunity he got and he did not want to deal with an emo-mode Bokuto in their first practice match of the day. It would mean that at least two more would follow, according to his calculation. Bokuto's emo-mode till now has kept up the trend of striking 1.5 times a day on average, and on unlucky days, if it struck earlier, he was more prone to getting two more bouts of it on the same day. He adds #22, as “ _Get’s too riled up by trash talking, especially from the pain-in-the-ass Nekoma Captain_ ” to the mental catalogue of Bokuto-san's weaknesses that could trigger his mood swings.

 

 

He had only just been chosen as the official setter after their third-year senpai claimed that he wanted to retire from the club so he could focus on his medical entrance exam for University, that did not leave any time for volleyball anymore. Akashi had been chosen as a starting member in spite of being only a first year, and he thought that he was lucky to have been chosen over another second-year and the other first-year setter in the Fukurodani volleyball club.

 

 

* * *

 

Even when Bokuto Koutarou was not Fukurodani’s ace, he shone as bright as the midday Sun. He buzzed with energy and excitement and lit everyone’s asses under fire. He burned like a flame with endless fuel. He never gave up hope even when others accepted that all was lost and everything was irredeemable. To Akashi, a rational thinker who saw possibilities and probabilities, people like Bokuto were an enigma. It took a special kind of strength, to go full steam ahead even when you think that the situation can never get better.

 

_Not unlike the little orange haired protégé that Bokuto would find for himself two years later, when Bokuto-san was one of the nation’s top five aces and he was Fukurodani’s Vice Captain._

 

The Fukurodani volleyball club had always been vast. And, he was just one among the first years who didn’t even sit on the bench during official games. So naturally, he was surprised when he was the only one to have noticed that Bokuto, who NEVER failed to be noisy even on the worst of his days, was quiet. So, very, quiet.

 

The team morale was normal and no one seemed to act any different from usual apart from Bokuto, and while Yanagida-san sent less number of tosses to Bokuto-san today, even his usually incredible crosses were so lacklustre that they failed to score even when the opposing team’s blockers slacked off. Of course, it was just a practice match and it was possible that he was having a different kind of off day. But something about the tortured expression on Bokuto’s face was setting Akashi off.

 

They won the first two sets, lost the next, won the fourth and lost the fifth again before the day drew to an end. The vibe that Bokuto was giving off was bothering Akashi like an itch that was impossible to scratch. While he usually had so much energy, too much energy like the surface of the sun that burned scorching bright, today he felt like he was looking at a candlelight that was hardly holding itself together and was on the verge of being snuffed out. Not like there was anything that he could do about it though.

 

He finished cleaning up later than usual as he mulled over these thoughts and returned late to the clubroom to retrieve his bags before leaving as his other senpai got changed and started to leave. The other first years had already left or were still cleaning up

 

But just before entering, he heard Bokuto’s pleading voice. “Yanagida-san, please give me some tosses. I’m sure I can improve my crosses even more.”

 

A sigh. “It’s getting pretty late, Bokuto. Tomorrow, maybe.”

 

“You said the same thing yesterday and day before yesterday too! Please, Yanagida-san, my crosses keep getting blocked. If I can’t hit my crosses past or through the blockers, there’s no use for me being in the court!” His voice broke, “I- I don’t know what to do. Please help me, Yanagida-san”

 

“Why don’t you go home today, relax and chill out a bit?” Akashi heard Yanagida reply, his exasperation muffled through the metal doors. “Not all of us are meant to be superstars in volleyball. Our school is a powerhouse, so I’m sure they will bring in some strong players next year too. You don’t have to worry about bearing the burden all by yourself”

 

“But Yanagida-san, that’s not-“

 

“Look, Bokuto. I get that you are going through a rough patch. But I don’t have the extra time to help you improve your game. I have a medical entrance for my University coming up this year. Trying too hard is not guaranteed to definitely make you better. Take it easy. Volleyball isn’t the only thing in the world and to me it looks like you’re not even having fun. I’m going home now. Good work today.”

 

Akashi realized now that it wasn't that people didn't notice that Bokuto was down, but that they chose to ignore it. He took a few steps back and made it seem like he was just going to enter the clubroom. He bowed his head at Yanagida who crossed him near the exit and was greeted with a “Good work today” for a reply. He mentally prepares himself to say something to Bokuto.

 

Bokuto was staring quietly at his locker. His shoulders were slumped and his gelled up hair was trying really hard to stay perked up. Clearly, he was very upset.

 

Akashi’s confidence suddenly left him and he was unsure about whether he should prod at a wasp’s nest. But before his mind could catch up with his mouth, he blurted- “Um, Bokuto-senpai…”

 

Bokuto looked at him with an uncharacteristically serious expression. “Who are you?”

 

“Ugh.. I’m Akashi Keiji, a first year. I’m sorry but I overheard you talking to Yanagida-san. I am a setter too, nowhere as good as Yanagida-san, but do you want me to try giving you a few tosses?”

 

As soon as these words left his mouth, Akashi felt it. The intensity of Bokuto’s gaze that finally focused on him. He had never owned a pet dog, but it this was probably what it felt like to dangle a piece of meat in front of a starved animal. Bokuto stumbled forward and put his hands on Akashi’s shoulder. “Really? You will stay behind to give me tosses so I can practice? Everyone usually runs away from me the second I say ‘toss’ or ‘block’ once the official practice is over.." Bokuto looked at him like he had travelled miles and miles in a desert in the lookout for an oasis and Akashi had just casually held out a water bottle and asked if he would like a drink of water.

 

“Well, it would be practice for me too, and it’s not like I’m a starting member, so practising with one of them is a good opportunity-“

 

Bokuto's eyes glimmered with hope and gratitude. “THANK YOU SO MUCH AKASHI! I will treat you to meat buns after practice! Or do you like Yakisoba buns? Or ice pops? Hey, hey, can we go practice now? You will give me a bunch of tosses, yeah? I want to hit crosses! I would like to improve the angle even more! Maybe I'll ask Washio to stay behind tomorrow to block for me while you send me tosses. It’s pretty useless to practice spiking without someone blocking, ya know? You will come for practice tomorrow too, yeah?“

 

Hearing his voice lively again brought a smile to Akashi’s face. “Uh.. Bokuto-san. I apologize in advance if I’m speaking out of my place. But I was just thinking.. If your crosses keep getting blocked, then instead of practising more and more of what you’re good at.. Why not practice straights and maybe block-outs?”

 

Bokuto stopped dead in his tracks looking like he was slapped. Akashi was caught off-guard. He didn't mean to dampen the mood again and started to apologize. “I’m-“

 

Bokuto gasped. He closed his eyes and muttered, “Spiking doesn’t just involve slamming the ball into the ground”.

 

The undercurrent of agitation that seemed to be running in him all along suddenly cleared away. He turned to a startled Akashi and bowed. With the most sincere expression he had ever seen on anyone’s face, Bokuto said, “Thank you, Akashi.” and perked up. Hair, shoulders, expression, everything. It was back. The flame that was always burned in Bokuto was back, and it was getting brighter and brighter by the second, warming Akashi over to the tips of his toes.

 

“Let’s go practice now, Akashi! I will hit some straights! But I won’t slack off on crosses or blockouts either, hey, hey, hey!~”

 

* * *

 

 

Today was just another case of needing to reset Bokuto so he could be his usual self. It was a tough responsibility to carry, but he would do it. Because when it came to volleyball, Bokuto had the best things to offer, and the only thing he had to do offer was the best version of Bokuto.

Because Bokuto was the flame, and Akashi only did his best to tend to the flame, so that the warmth was harnessed properly and felt by all. He wasn’t anywhere close to harnessing all of its brilliance, but he could do a decent job. Mellowing it down when it burnt too fast and too harsh. Coaxing it to burn brighter if it sputtered down.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I originally planned to write this as "How Kuroo and Bokuto met and wanted to rip off each other's heads, but Kenma and Akashi held them in check" but since I couldn't write it all at once, I might write this as a three-part series with two more sequels, one from Kenma's POV and then the actual incident. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


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